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Today my guest is Cornelia Amiri, another of my fellow Ellora’s Cave authors. She talks about the writing process and how she got started writing. She’s also giving away free copies of Dance of the Vampires and Vampire Highland Fling. Click on the link at the bottom of this post for the Rafflecopter contest.What inspired you to start writing?

The Celtic Warrior Queen, Boudica, is the reason I began writing seriously. I love history, and in reading a book about the dark ages, I came across Boudica. I was so inspired, I started jotting down notes, but they were fiction (it-must-have-happened-like-this type). Before I knew it, I had written a novel. I thought, gosh I can really do this. So after accidentally writing that novel, I wrote one on purpose which was my first published book, The Fox Prince.

How long have you been writing?

Since I was six. I was first contracted in 2000, and my first book came out in January 1, 2001 from Awe Struck Ebooks. When I received the e-mail form Awe Struck accepting my novel, I was on cloud nine. Bubbling with happiness, I was more animated then usual at work. I followed my standard good mornings with, “Did you hear about my book?” I e-mailed my publisher, to tell her that I too was attending the Romantic Times convention and that I would love to meet her. She replied, “I am taking all the Awe Struck authors to dinner on Thursday and would love for you to join us.” I walked around work waving the e-mail saying, “Look, look, I’m going to have dinner with my publisher and the other Awe-Struck authors.”

What advice would you give to writers just starting out?

Never stop writing, put the your inner-editor aside and finish the rough draft. Find a good critique partner. Find your unique author voice and go with it, always. Never give up, following a dream is always hard work, but it’s the only way to truly live.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a bit in between a plotter and a panster. Once I have my idea (my premise), I pick a plot to go with it. Then I work up character charts on the hero and heroine, which include information on their family history and their likes and dislikes. Then, with a fairly good idea about the beginning and ending in my head, I begin the rough draft.

Describe the “perfect” hero? What ist the “perfect” hero for you?

Sexy and Scottish. And…the perfect hero has leadership skills such as the ability to motivate other people; he cares about and protects and helps others; he should be charismatic, handsome, charming, worthy, and honorable. As for the perfect hero for me, I think all the above is a pretty good package. I’ll take that.

What are you reading now?

I am reading Jane Loudon Webb’s “The Mummy,” published in 1827. It is one of the earliest pieces of women’s sci-fi as it’s set in the 22nd century.

Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.

Just being near the handsome Scott, sends hot shivers through Ever, but sheowes it to her sisters to find a way back underhill. Fey lore compels her to stay in the earthly realm once a human captures her. Only goddess Morrigan has enough power to override fey law. With a scrying spell and the mirrorin Calin’s bedroom, Ever summons Morrigan.

Every inch of Calin’s tall, muscular, well toned physique captures Morrigan’s gaze. The goddess wants this man. To get him, she grants Ever’s wish to return to her sisters underhill. That night, when Calin is searching for Ever, the goddess appears to him as a woman in her early twenties, gorgeous in every way. Though flattered by her attentions, he explains he loves another woman, Ever. No man ever rejected the goddess before except one, and she killed him.

Are you working on something at present that you would like to tell us about?

The next book in the Dancing Vampire series is One Dance With A Vampire. While roaming the Scottish highlands, the vampiric fey, Charlak, and the man she danced with and attacked a year ago, Angus, meet again. Angus’s heart pounds and his breath grows shallow, the same reaction he had when he saw her a year ago, before she tried to drain his blood. He begs her for just one dance, before she returns underhill. She gives Angus one dance but gets so much more. The dance turns into desire, which deepens into love for both of them. While they struggle with past pain and raging passion, their love is forbidden by their families, fearing they will harm each other. Will his brothers and her sisters prevent Charlak and Angus’s happiness? Will Charlak leave everything…her home, her sisters, the fey realm…for love?

Today’s the release date of the third book in the Dancng Vampire series from Ellora’s Cave, Ever So Bonnie A Vampire.

AboutEver So Bonnie A Vampire

Calin has had fantasies about the vampiric fey, Ever’s, warm, curvaceous body ever since they danced a year ago. When they meet again he waste no time in claiming and capturing her. Once the sun rises, Ever can’t leave the earthly realm and is bound by fey lore to the human, Calin. Though he has saved her from the sun, things get pretty hot in his arms. Thrust into the mortal realm, his lovemaking excites her like no fey man’s ever has but she’s consumed with the vow she made to her sisters to not leave them for a mortal man. She fights her feelings for Calin and seeks help from goddess Morrigan.

The goddess has feelings of her own for the tall, muscular mortal so she frees Ever to return underhill. It isn’t until Ever’s back with her sisters that she realizes her heart is still held captive by Calin. When Calin spurns Morrigan’s attentions, the goddess’s lust turns to vengeance. With Ever out of his reach, underhill, and a goddess shape shifting into different beasts to hunt and kill him, Calin McDuff must risk his life and fight all odds to be with the woman he loves.

“This business with Morrigan is serious. You may get away a few times, but eventually she’ll kill you. She is the goddess of death.” Murdina walked toward the door.

“Wonderful,” he said sarcastically. “Can’t I do something?” He followed Murdina.

“The only way is to appease her with a sacrifice.” Sorcha trailed behind them.

“A human sacrifice?” This was going from bad to worse.

“Of course not. Are you crazy? Humans stopped that in what they call the Bronze Age. No, you need to sacrifice an object. Morrigan loves swords. Your ancestors used to throw them into wells and rivers to the war goddess.” Murdina pulled the front door open.

“Where would I get a sword, you mean a replica?” He stepped outside, behind her.

Sorcha came out also and locked the front door. “No, you need an authentic relic, from the Bronze Age at the least. One that has been bloodied, used in war.”

“Where would I get a Bronze Age sword?”

“I know,” Murdina piped up. “Having roamed these hills many years, I remember a horde of weapons from thousands of years ago. I can show you.” She headed toward the truck in the driveway.

“We need to hurry to get this done before Ever rises from the cairn.”

To enter to win a free PDF copy of Cornelia’s Dance of the Vampires and Vampire Highland Fling, click here.